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The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.Letter from Karen Dunnell, dated July 2009:"As National Statistician, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many death certificates mentioning (a) methadone, (b) cannabis, (c) benzodiazepine, (d) barbiturates, (e) steroids and (f) stimulants were issued in each of the last five years. (287370)""The table attached provides the numbers of deaths where the underlying cause was drug poisoning and (a) methadone, (b) cannabis, (c) benzodiazepines (d) barbiturates or (e) steroids were mentioned on the death certificate, either alone or together with other substances, in England and Wales, from 2003 to 2007 (the latest year available).""Where more than one drug is mentioned on the death certificate, it is not always possible to tell which of them was primarily responsible for the death.""Figures for deaths where stimulants are mentioned on the death certificate are not available. Stimulants include a broad range of substances, such as amphetamines and ecstasy, but there is no official definition that is used for statistical purposes."<Table width="100%" summary="" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="3" border="0"><thead><tr><th>Table 1: Number of deaths where drug poisoning was the underlying cause of death¹ and methadone, cannabis, benzodiazepines, barbiturates or steroids were mentioned on the death certificate, England and Wales², 2003-07³</th></tr></thead><TR><TD>Deaths</TD></TR><TR><TD></TD><TD>2003</TD><TD>2004</TD><TD>2005</TD><TD>2006</TD><TD>2007</TD></TR><TR><TD>Methadone</TD><TD>201</TD><TD>219</TD><TD>220</TD><TD>241</TD><TD>325</TD></TR><TR><TD>Cannabis</TD><TD>11</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>19</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>12</TD></TR><TR><TD>Benzodiazepines</TD><TD>224</TD><TD>233</TD><TD>190</TD><TD>177</TD><TD>207</TD></TR><TR><TD>Barbiturates</TD><TD>20</TD><TD>16</TD><TD>14</TD><TD>17</TD><TD>6</TD></TR><TR><TD>Steroids</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>0</TD><TD>1</TD><TD>3</TD><TD>0</TD></TR><tfoot><TR><td>¹ Cause of death was defined using the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10). Deaths were included where the underlying cause was due to drug poisoning (shown in the following table) and where the substances were mentioned on the death certificate either alone or together with other substances.</td></TR><TR><td>² Figures for England and Wales include deaths of non-residents.</td></TR><TR><td>³ Figures are for deaths registered in each calendar year.</td></TR></tfoot></Table><Table width="100%" summary="" cellspacing="3" cellpadding="3" border="0"><TR><TD>ICD-10</TD><TD>Description</TD></TR><TR><TD>F11-F16, F18-F19</TD><TD>Mental and behavioural disorders due to drug use (excluding alcohol and tobacco)</TD></TR><TR><TD>X40-X44</TD><TD>Accidental poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances</TD></TR><TR><TD>X60-X64</TD><TD>Intentional self-poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances</TD></TR><TR><TD>X85</TD><TD>Assault by drugs, medicaments and biological substances</TD></TR><TR><TD>Y10-Y14</TD><TD>Poisoning by drugs, medicaments and biological substances, undetermined intent</TD></TR></Table> |